eli5 Why is touching a live wire dangerous? Doesn’t electricity take the path of least resistance? Wouldn’t your hand be a much worse conductor than a copper wire?
In: Engineering
Imagine your skin is like a special suit that keeps you safe from little electric shocks, like a superhero costume! This keeps you safe when you touch things like lamps or TVs.
But just like a superhero suit can get ripped, really strong electricity can break through your skin’s protection. This is called “breakdown voltage.”
When your skin is dry, it’s like a super strong suit! It takes a LOT of zap, like from a very strong battery, for the electricity to break through (around 20-40 volts). That’s like needing a giant villain to rip your super strong suit!
But when your skin is wet, from things like playing in puddles, it’s more like a regular raincoat. Even a small zap (less than 20 volts) might be enough to break through, like a tiny raindrop getting through a hole in your coat.
The important thing to remember is that even a small zap can be dangerous. So always treat electricity like a villain: avoid it completely and tell a grownup if you see anything sparking or acting weird! They can help keep you safe.
–Google Gemini
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